Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network plans workshop

Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network (TSPN) is co-sponsoring and organizing “Preventing Anti-Gay Bullying and Suicide” on Wed, Oct. 27 at OutCentral, located at 1709 Church Street in Nashville.

This workshop is being developed as part of a national and local effort is underway to raise awareness and show support for teens struggling with anti-gay bullying and harassment in light of several recent high-profile youth suicides and hate crimes.

“Locally there has been an outpouring of support from people who want to raise awareness of the potential effects of anti-gay bullying on youth,” said Scott Ridgway, TSPN Executive Director. “Many people want to tell their own stories about how such harassment affected them growing up.”

The event will include a training session in sensitivity to issues affecting GLBTQI (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, and intersexed) youth, as well as a suicide prevention training session using the “Question, Persuade, and Refer” (QPR) protocol.

The workshop is also sponsored by the Nashville Grizzlies rugby team and OutCentral, a cultural center for GLBTQI people and interests. Additionally, TSPN’s Facebook page includes a posting about “Spirit Day”, a Facebook campaign calling for people to wear purple on October 20 as part of an observance honoring those who have taken their lives due to homophobia and anti-gay bullying.

The TSPN website offers a fact sheet on suicide and GLBT youth in “Suicide and Population Groups” section. If you or someone you know is struggling with anti-gay harassment and may be at risk for suicide, contact the Trevor Project (1-866-4U-TREVOR) or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK).